Container for food products



Spt. 18, 1925. F. E. BICKEORD con'umnn FOR FDOD mowers Filed June 30, 1926 INVENT 1111i WMZM'IM Hm An-n-mww Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK E. BICKFORD, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

CONTAINER FOR E001) rnonuc'rs.

Application med .Tune 30, 1926. Serial No. 119,653.

My invention relates to containers for food products, covers or caps therefor. and means for sealing the caps on the containers.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved form of container, preferably made of glass, designed and adapted for use as a pitcher from which the contents may be poured, in combination with a suitable cover or cap which may be sealed on the container when the latter has been filled with its or1'g'- inal contents.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of container with a cover therefor having a seal on the exterior surface of the container, in combination with an interior surface conformation of the COD". tainer adapting it to seat a closure cap or cover within the containerpreferably at a level below the exterior seal; thereby adapting the container to be repeatedly usedas'a bottle or holder for milk or the like after it has served its purpose as a container for the original contents.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a cap or closure device applied tothe container.

Figure 2 is an elevation partly in section showing the container and a cap sealedthereon.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the container with tlie'ori'ginal sealing cap removed and an interior closure in position.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the container and its cap viewed in a direction at right angles to that of Figure 2. v

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale showing one form of sealing means.

Figure 6 is a similar View showing a mod lied form of sealing means.

Figure 7 is a front'elevati'on showing a portion of the cap and seallng means.

Figure 8 is a similar View of a modification. The container is herein shown as made of glass and comprisinga body portion 10 substantially cylindrical in form, above which is a top portion 11 curvedinwardly intermediate its' upper and lower ends to form a "l portion or neck 12. This neclt 'lfl inner surfaceshaped to provide handle, thereby forming an open space between the handle and the neck of the conta'iner. As shown in Figure 2, the outline of the handle is substantially in line with the outer face of the body portion 10 directly beneath the'han'dle. In other words, the handle does not protrude beyond the general outline of the container, but lies wholly within the vertical projection of the body portion 10. The upper edge of the side wall of the container is thickened at a, at the side opposite the spout opening 15', to direct the contents of the container toward the spout. This thickened portion is gradually decreased along the circumference of thetop and merges into the normal thicknes's'of the wall at the spout opening. I

A cap or closure device20 is adapted to be sealed on the container when the latter has been originally filled with a food product or other substance. This cap, as shown, is formed from a single pieceof sheet metal and comprises a circular top or cover portion to seat on the rim of the bottle, and a depending peripheral flange or skirt 2 11 The top of the cap may be formed with a centraldepressed portion 22. o

The skirt 21 is formed at its lower edge v with an integral bead 23 which, in its" original 'of the container.

suflicient strength and flexibility for the purpose indicated, extends around the container within the head 23. This .wire is covered with rubber composition surrounded by a suitable woven fabric impregnated with a rubber composition or like material. This fabric is in turn embedded within a sealing gasket or medium 26 preferably consisting of a rubber composition or other plastic material or substance possessing the requisite properties adapting it to serve as a hermetic seal between the cap and the adjoining wall The wire 24, as above noted, extends circumferentially around-the container and its ends 27 and 28 arecrossed at a notch 29 formed in the bead 23 and ex tend outwardly or downwardly away from the head. A seal 30, which may be of sheet metal, unites the ends 27 and 28 andforms therewith a loop or ring in which a finger may be inserted and the seal 30 readily disconnected from the end 28 by a slight pull, leavingthe seal connected with the end. 27 to which it is more securely attached. This provides a handle for pulling the wire 24 and unsealing the cap from the container, as

presently described. a

, The sealing material 25 completely surrounds the container, the wire being embedded therein and emerging therefrom at the notch 29, whereby a perfect seal is maintained. The skirt 21 is formed with a circumferential score 31 by which the metal is weakened, permitting the bead 23 with the sealing gasket therein to be torn off for unsealing the container.

tending from the main line and terminating .at the notch 29' to facilitate commencement chuck surrounding the bead 23 descends, and

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on account of its decreasing diameter exerts a lateral or inward pressure on the entire periphery of the beadwith its enclosed sealing medium. This chuck is preferably formed on its inner face with ridges or corrugations extending up and down. These ridges being forced against the head 23 at close intervals as the chuck descends. produce corresponding corrugations in the metal of the head while flatteningthe latter to a certain extent against the ar finish, thereby producing an effective seal. It will be noted that the handle 16 is located entirely below the sealing surface so as not to interrupt the circular contour of said surface, nor interfere with applying the cap and making a perfect The score line in- .cludes an inclined port on 32 (Fig.7) ex- 'In order to remove thecap, theseal 30 may be grasped, as hereinbefore noted, and givena pull by which the end 28 of the wire is disconnected. handle 30 then serves to tear or rip the head 23 from the skirt 21, the tear commencing at the notch29, extending along the line 32 to the main score-line 31, and thence entirely around the cap. The sealing material 25 is removed with the bead, thereby unsealing the cap and permitting it to be readily lifted off the container. After the head has thusbeen removed, the cap may be repeatedly used for temporarily closing thecontainer while the contents thereof are being used up.

In some instances, itmay be desirable to omit the score line 31, The wire 24 with the surrounding sealing material 25' may thenbe Withdrawn from the bead, leaving the cap and bead intact. The lower edge of the bead is spaced from the side wall of the container at suflicient distance, as shown for example, in Figure 2, to permit theiwithdrawal of the A continued pull on theseal or sealing gasket without tearing off the bead when the score line is omitted. The cap being thus unsealed can be readily removed and Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention- WVhat I claim is: 1. A vessel or container open at its upper end and formed with a pitcherspout opening, and having below said spout opening an exterior circumferential sealingsurface, the

spout portion of thecontainer being substantially entirely within the vertical extension of said'sealing surface, and, a handle opposite said spout and below said sealing surface.

2. A container for food products comprising a cylindrical body portion and a neck portion above the body portion, said neck portion being of substantially the same diameter at its upper end as said body portion and constricted intermediate its upper and lower ends, and a handle extending vertically across said constricted portion and lying within the outline of the vertical projection of said cylindrical body portion. y

3. A container for food products comprising a cylindrical body portion and aneck portion above the body portion, said neck portion being constricted intermediate its upper and lower ends, and a handle extending vertically across said constricted portion and lying within the outline of the-vertical projection of. said cylindrical body portion, saidcontainer formed with a spout opening opposite said handle, said handle terminating at a point below the upper edge of the container,

2 the latter being formed witha circumferential sealing surface above the handle and below the spout opening.

4. A container for food products compris ing a cylindrical body portion and a neck portion above the body portion, said neck portion being constricted intermediate its upper and lower ends, a handle extending vertically across said constricted portion and lying within the outline of the vertical projection of said cylindrical body portion, said container formed with a spout opening opposite said handle, said handle terminating at a point below the upper edge of the container, the latter being formed with a circumferential sealing surface above the handle and below the spout opening, a flanged cap forming a cover for the container, anda plastic sealing material engaging said sealing surface and forming a hermetic seal between the cap flange and the container.

5. The combination of a container, a cover therefor, a ring gasket of plastic material surrounding the container and forming a hermet ic seal, a wire surrounding the container and embedded in said gasket, said wire having its ends protruding beyond the gasket, and a seal connecting the ends of said w' c.

6. The combination ofa container, a cover therefor, a ring gasket of plastic material surrounding the container and forming a her metic seal, a wire surrounding the container and embedded in said gasket, said wire haying its ends crossed and protruding below the gasket, and a seal connecting said ends and forming therewith a loop.

7. The combination of a container, a cover therefor comprising atop portion and a depending circumferential flange portion, a hollow bead formed on said flange portion and surrounding the container, a sealing gasket of plastic material within said head and surrounding the container, a wire einbedded in the gasket and surrounding the container, said bead formed with a notch or opening through which the ends of the wire protrude, and a seal connecting said ends, said seal being securely connected to one of said ends and detachable from the other end of the wire by acomparatively slight pull.

8. The combination of a container, a cover therefor comprising a top portion and a depending circumferential flange portion, a hollow bead formed on said. flange portion and surrounding the container, a sealing gasket of plastic material within said bead. and surrounding the container, and a wire embedded in the gasket and surrounding the container, said bead formed with a notch or opening through which an end of the wire protrudes, said cap formed with a weakened line or score extending circumferentially thereof above said bead, whereby the bead may be torn off and the cap unsealed by pulling said wire.

9. The combination of a container, a cap therefor comprising a flange portion surrounding the container, said flange being formed with a score line extending circumferentially 'of the container and providing a removable strip, a. wire extending lengthwise of the score line, and means connecting said wire and strip whereby the latter may be removed by pulling on said wire.

' 10. The combination of a container, a cap therefor comprising a top and a depending flange surrounding the container, saidflange being formed with a bead extending circumferentially around the container, said cap formed with a. score line above said bead and extending lengthwise thereof, and a wire within said bead and extending lengthwise thereof, said wire having a protruding end.

11. A container comprising a substantially cylindrical body portion and a restricted neck portion, the Walls of said neck portion being upwardly convergent from the body portion to an intermediate plane of said neck portion and thence upwardly and outwardly divergent to the upper end of said neck por tion, said upper end being substantially the same diameter as said body portion, the container being formed with an interior annular shoulder at or near said plane, said shoulder presenting a. flat horizontal annular surface to provide a seat for a removable disk'cap.

12. A container comprising a substantially cylindrical body portion and a. restricted neck portion, the walls of said. neck portion being upwardly convergent from the body portion to an intermediate plane of said neck portion and thence upwardly and outwardly divergent to the upper end of said neckportion, said upper end being substantially the same diameter as said body portion, the container being formed with an interior annular flat shoulder at or near said plane to provide a seat for a removable disk cap, the container being formed with a. spout opening above said shoulder, and a, handle opposite the spout opening, the upper end of the handle terminating at a point below the upper end of the container, the latter having a. circular circumferential exterior surface to fit the flange portion of a cover piece when the latter is placed on the container.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 21st day of June, 1926.

FREDERICK E. BICKFORD. 

